Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 66

दक्षस्य यज्ञप्रवृत्तिः तथा ईश्वरवर्जितदेवसमागमः

Dakṣa’s Sacrificial Undertaking and the Devas’ Assembly without Īśvara

Devanagari script

तत्क्षणादेव दक्षस्य यज्ञवाटं रण्मयम् । प्रविवेश महाबाहुर्वीरभद्रो महानुगः

Transliteration

tatkṣaṇādeva dakṣasya yajñavāṭaṃ raṇmayam | praviveśa mahābāhurvīrabhadro mahānugaḥ

Translation

Ngay khoảnh khắc đó, đấng Virabhadra tay dài dũng mãnh—theo sau là các tùy tùng vĩ đại—đã tiến vào khu vực tế lễ của Daksha, nơi giờ đây đã biến thành một chiến trường.

Word by Word

• tat-kṣaṇāt: from that very moment
• tat-kṣaṇāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); 'from that moment'

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारण)

• dakṣasya: of Dakṣa
• dakṣasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• yajña-vāṭam: the sacrificial enclosure
• yajña-vāṭam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + vāṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); 'sacrificial enclosure'

• raṇmayam: filled with battle/war-like
• raṇmayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रत्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with yajña-vāṭam

• praviveśa: entered
• praviveśa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√viś (विश् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada

• mahā-bāhuḥ: the mighty-armed one
• mahā-bāhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); epithet

• vīra-bhadraḥ: Vīrabhadra
• vīra-bhadraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक) + bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); proper name

• mahā-anugaḥ: the great follower/attendant
• mahā-anugaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + anuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); epithet

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: This is the Dakṣa-yajña destruction episode: Vīrabhadra, born of Śiva’s wrath/grief after Satī’s insult, storms the yajña-śālā to dismantle adharmic sacrifice.

Significance: Reminds pilgrims that ritual without humility and devotion to Pati (Śiva) becomes empty; true yajña culminates in surrender, not pride.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Virabhadra
• Daksha

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It marks the turning point where ritual (yajña) performed with ego and disrespect becomes spiritually barren; Vīrabhadra’s entry symbolizes Shiva’s corrective power that restores dharma by breaking pride and re-establishing reverence for Pati (the Lord).

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

The Dakṣa-yajña narrative contrasts mere outer rites with true devotion to Saguna Shiva; honoring Shiva (often through Linga worship) is presented as essential, while sacrifices done without Shiva-bhakti devolve into conflict and loss of sanctity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to purify intention before ritual: perform japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with humility, and approach worship (including bhasma/tripuṇḍra and rudrākṣa where traditional) as devotion rather than display.